So you want to come to Vida Vegan Con but you didn’t get your ticket in time?

No bigs. Because we’ve got LOADS of stuff going on all weekend that is open the public (I.E., YOU!). We want to see you there. Even if you’re not a Portlander, you may decide it’s worth it to come for the weekend. There are going to be vegan shenanigans happening all over town, and you probably don’t want to miss a bit of it. We’ll have caffeine stations set up at key points all over town, don’t worry. (We kid, we kid. The pure adrenaline from the weekend will keep you going, we’re sure.)

This is for those speakers, readers, and bloggers coming into Portland early. It’s also for you, if you want to swing by to meet some of your favorite bloggers (or your favorite conference organizers). This is open and free to the public. Swing by for a cocktail or a Tall Boy and mingle with the sort of people that talk about whisks, WordPress, and vegan Worcestershire sauce for fun.

* Vendetta does have a handful of vegan options, but don’t go starving yourself all day just to eat here.

** We totally want to show ya’ll the Bye and Bye on Alberta, but it’s crazy there on Last Thursdays and we don’t want to make you wait in line 4ever.

Part sociological experiment and part adventure comedy, Vegucated is a guerrilla-style documentary that follows three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. Lured by tales of weight lost and health regained, they begin to uncover the hidden sides of animal agriculture that make them wonder whether solutions offered in films like Food, Inc. go far enough. Before long, they find themselves risking everything to expose an industry they supported just weeks before, but can their convictions carry them through when times get tough?

Last Thursday is a cray-cray fantastical hippy street fair that takes place on the Last Thursday of every month on Alberta St. It’s more than a little overwhelming and has recently turned into more of a drunken-shenanigans-in-the-street-while-ostensibly-looking-at-art, but there’s still some real rad stuff going on. If you can wade through the people and can’t make the Meet & Greet or Vegucated Sneak Peak, this would be a fun alternative for you. Also located on Alberta: Back to Eden Bakery, the best vegan bakery this side of the Universe (plus they have vegan soft serve, what!).

Friday, August 26

Friday is Registration and the Opening Night Reception. No wild and crazy off-site Vida Vegan-endorsed shenanigans are happening. But you’ll probably have a Vida Vegan Con registrant or speaker sighting at any local vegan business you go to Friday night, so if you wanna stalk your favorite blogger, check their twitter stream or hang out at Bye and Bye, Sweet Hereafter, Hungry Tiger Too, or the Secret Vegan Lair underneath University Place. Consider a late night food cart or bar crawl!

Our venue, Ambridge Event Center, is big enough for all ya’ll (unless of course we sell out, in which case—get your ticket early!), so we have opened the Galarama up to the public. Purchase your ticket here.

Public admission is $25 (or $30 at the door, if they’re still available) and includes vegan bites from the (vegan) caterer, Sizzle Pie, Gardein, Daiya, and Upton’s Naturals, among others, one drink (BridgePort beer, cocktails or mocktails, or wine from The Vegan Vine), and <insert drumroll and anticipatory murmur of the crowd here> the Coconut Bliss sundae bar! Oh, and you’re entered to win door prizes! And we’re still working up more fun surprises! The event is all ages, but no drinking for the minors so bring your ID.

Hang out with Upton’s at Food Fight on Saturday night! Upton’s will be offering an exclusive menu of made-to-order vegan sandwiches featuring their tasty seitan.
Additionally, they’’ll be offering some of our rarely offered for retail “limited edition” styles of seitan.
The full menu of sandwiches and available seitan styles will be up soon; check their Facebook event page to stay in the loop.

Huey Lewis and the News

Now, we know that is directly opposite the Silent Auction Galarama, is at the motherflippin’ Oregon Zoo, and costs up to $175, but for peet’s sake, it’s HUEY LEWIS. This is my jam, ya’ll:

So, whoa. Loads of shenanigans happening all weekend. Get your double espresso/green smoothie/decaf herbal tea ready, download the trimet app on your smart phone, grease the wheels on your bike, and we’ll see you in a few weeks.